Another time Another place (Working title)
by Angelic Phantomcrow
Summary: With a war torn past and only his godson Teddy in his arms Harry Potter embarks on another adventure. (Probably including Time Travel and an Alternate Universe and Werewolves, naturally some werewolves.) Pairings planned (if deviating from canon): Sirius/Remus, Draco/Harry (more to be added) Also Rating may be changed at one point.
1. Chapter 1

**Unbeta'ed.**

 **Disclaimer: Harry Potter does not belong to me. My owncharacters are mine.**

 **Prologue**

The war had ended. They had won. If it could still be called that despite the losses.

In Harry's opinion, in war there never is a winner.

He practically lost all his family and his best friends three years ago.

His parents as widely known had died when he was one.

His godfather Sirius Black fell through the veil in the Department of Mystery in his fifth year.

Remus Lupin died with his wife Tonks in the Battle of Hogwarts leaving behind Harry's godson Teddy.

Teddy, who he at least tries to do his best for.

Hermione's mind didn't survive the torture from Bellatrix when they had been caught, although she only crumbled when the war was over. She was strong. She was now well taken care off on the same station of as Alice and Frank Longbotton.

And the Weasleys…

His tutor Bill Weasley was dead. His other tutor Snape was dead, too.

Both Weasley twins had died in the final battle saving their siblings. Percy took over their store.

Arthur and Charlie were still genuinely nice to him, but he didn't see them all too often.

They were busy.

Molly tries to stay neutral and even friendly to Harry, who had been practically family, but at times grief would overcome her and she would lash out with thoughtless words at him.

Harry couldn't fault her. She had lost four of her children to the war.

The loss of so many of her children did her mind no favor. At least she tries.

Four children. His best mate Ron had been killed by Lucius Malfoy in front of Ginny.

Ginny, who left him, when she couldn't comprehend why Harry even tried to help a bitter Draco Malfoy. Said male was often drifting between being unresponsive or child-like after the Death Eaters found out he had lied to them about not recognizing him. Making him another Cruciatus and torture victim.

But he also didn't just stop visiting Malfoy at the manor, where said prat had isolated himself. Alienated by former allies and persecuted by war victims.

Not to mention he was Teddy's last living relative.

Just a year ago Andromeda had died the same way Narcissa Malfoy just died two month ago.

And now Harry was losing Malfoy, too.

Although they had never been friends, Malfoy had been a constant in Harry's life.

A person Harry had felt connected, too.

They had been on opposite sides of the war, but they were both misunderstood and mistreated. Forced.

But he was getting less and less responsive, less and less sane, ever since his mother was killed by remaining Death Eaters, who are still on the run.

He sighed before he went to another room to wake a napping Teddy.

Today was their weekly visit to Malfoy to try to get him better. Teddy was doing him good.

They would floo over and be welcomed by a ranting Malfoy, when he was aware enough of the world, and his house elves, who would prepare tea. Sadly the awareness of his surroundings is waning.

Malfoy would at times gently responds to Teddy's words and antics and without Teddy would spit malicious words at Harry entirely deigned to hurt and cause pain like before. Or actually worse.

But at least it had been something.

This too had last been a month ago. Malfoy was slowly ceasing to react. Harry hated seeing his rival so lifeless. Lifeless was too close to death.

Harry arrived to a manor of panicking house elves. And when they noticed him they all eerily stilled. The oldest one immediately in solemn pace led him and the three-years-old at his hand to the master bedroom. They recognize him and Teddy as the frequent and only guests their master still had beside noisy aurors trying to incriminate them and who were all too often chased out by them for agitating and upsetting the Malfoy. A fact Harry found most amusing.

He did the same, agitating and upsetting the Malfoy, getting into arguments with him, but unlike the aurors he was liked by the house elves. After all he meant well at least.

Yet now Harry felt his steps getting heavier and heavier the closer he got. A foreboding feeling spread through him. With clammy hands he pressed down the doorknob and the heavy wood swung open without a noise.

He nearly gave a sight of relief when he saw his school rival laying in his bed without any wounds and definitely still breathing. Relief that immediately was destroyed when he learned that said person couldn't be awoken. Practically on auto-pilot he he laid his free hand the other's moving chest and apparated them both together with Teddy to .

After the healers received the comatose Malfoy into their care he immediately fled in the long strides to Hermione's room cradling his crying godson to his chest. His dear Hermione even unresponsive she would calm him, her presence nudge him to think of a solution for whatever problem he had.

In his long strides he did not notice the healers he passed trying to stop him. He only felt another part of his heart dying when he arrived in a room with a healer declaring the time of her death.

With a sad smile he said her goodbye. Her eyes at clear in their last moment.

It was a peaceful passing and she would now be reunited with Ron.

He aparrated back to Grimmauld Place, not even daring to go to the Weasley's for comfort. He could already imagine Ginny's accusation, that this was his fault, he had bugged Malfoy too much and neglected his best friend. He doesn't think he could survive a tongue lashing in his state, laced with his worst worries that he could not object, too. No matter how sorry she would be afterwards.

When he entered his bedroom accompanied by a silent and solemn Kreacher bringing hot chocolate, Teddy started to cry, to sob and to wail without any particular reason he fully understood. Maybe he felt it in the atmosphere, but he was shedding tears enough for both of them, because Harry was lacking tears of his own since the end of the war.

He fell asleep after calming his godson.

When he woke up again he could feel voices calling out to him, calling his name. Groggily he pulled himself out of the bed and grabbed his wand.

Carefully gathering his still sleeping godson into his arms he crept along the hallways devoid of life until he arrived at what must have been an old study. He had never entered this room so far.

With unsteady hand he pushed open the door and was confronted with - himself.

The first thing directly opposite of the door leaning against the wall was a mirror with a similar frame to the Mirror of Erised.

But unlike that mirror the caption said _'Fate's Fool'_ in clean scripted modern english.

With a frown he cautiously stepped closer to take a better look at it.

From close up he could see something moving in the mirror like a piece of fabric flowing with the stream fluttering around. A piece of fabric that looked too much like a piece of the Veil that took Sirius from him to be coincidence.

It was until his eyes wandered further down that he saw another inscription.

 _"_ _Tollite me et mittite me"_ , he whispered confused. _"Take me (up) and throw me (away)"_

And before he could react the cloth in the mirror wrapped itself around the reflection of him and Teddy trapping their movement outside the frame, too.

Then the glass surface itself quickly distorted and reached out of the frame like water.

It grabbed them swallowed them up and he knew no more.

 _At another place and time that was much too close and yet so far away…_

In a rather cold summer night a pair of feet came to abrupt halt at the doorsteps of a house they were just leaving. The owner of said feet could not bear this wonder as his breath left him for a few seconds. With shaking unbelieving hands he reached out toward the limp body laying on the ground checking for any sign of life. Relief flooded his body as he felt breath and pulse.

Looking left and right in the empty street, a soundless name leaving pale lips and without another thought he lifted the motionless figure up, taking wondrously note of the smaller bundle in their arms before whisking away with a loud echoing crack.

… oOo …

 **Chapter 1**

Harry awoke to the quiet cries of his godson and the panicky shushing of a impossibly familiar voice. Immediately his eyes snapped open locking on the improbable picture in front of him as he reached for his wand.

"Sirius?" The disbelieve in his voice was clearly palpable.

Said man's head snapped around to him smiling slightly. Even Teddy stilled to look at him.

"Hello, Harry", his suppose-to-be-he-saw-it-himself-should-be-dead godfather greeted him.

"B-But you're dead", finally got out after a few seconds.

A dead man next to his godson.

He immediately reacted to the thought with a well-aimed _"Flipendo"_ throwing the Sirius-look-a-like against the wall as he moved forward to take Teddy into his arms.

Warily he watched the man pull himself up again with a groan. Keeping his wand trained onto the other male he took a few steps back.

"Who are you?", he asked agitated.

The man held his hands up in a gesture of surrender.

"I'm seriously Sirius", the man joked. Something told him only his godfather would make jokes like that at wand point. Although he didn't believe he had witnessed his godfather as carefree as right now before. Still.

"Prove it to me"

The probably impostor thought awhile before immediately answering trying to proof his claim, "You used a time turner to save me and Buckbeak. My animagus looks like a Grim. I fell through the veil in the Department of Mystery. I gave you a two-way mirror. I-"

"Sirius!"

Putting Teddy down he threw himself at his godfather, who quickly spread his arms to catch him in a hug. When they let go again both of them were smiling.

But then his godfather's expression quickly changed to a more sombre one.

"Harry", Sirius started, "why or how did you come through the veil"

"The veil?", it confused him, "I never came through the veil"

"But that's how I came to be here, this isn't our world", Sirius explained.

Harry nodded as it slowly dawned to him. Not yet comprehending the implication of another world, but…

"There was a piece of the veil in the mirror…"

"Harry! What mirror?", his godfather asked seriously.

And maybe it was dangerous? Considering he had fully combed through all artifacts in the Black House yet and not checked it out yet.

"The Fate's Fool mirror in the old study", he answered.

"The Fate's Fool mirror?", Sirius muttered disbelieving, "That one for whatever purpose it was designed, I remember my father ranting about it not working for presumably five generations"

Harry wanted to ask his godfather more about the mirror, but another familiar voice interrupted him.

"I'm back, Padfoot", Remus called out as he entered the small house followed by four chattering children.

He wondered were said man was as Sirius normally waited for them or more likely the snacks downstairs.

"Upstairs, Moony", came it from above.

That there was a second voice surprised him more.

Sirius never interacted with anyone beside the kids and order member and the second group of people were also never invited to this place before. Curious he focused his werewolf hearing on the room above as he unpacked with the help of the children. Eavesdropping wasn't polite, but his marauder senses never had left him despite what others may think.

"Is that Remus?", the strangely familiar voice asked.

"Yeah", was the answer, "we're kind of together in this world"

In this world? …Oh!

It quickly dawned to Remus that the other person must came from the same world as Sirius.

He could still remember what happened five years ago.

He had also just came home from the weekly grocery shopping trip to the nearby village that day.

 _Five years ago…_

Remus just came home, his arms laden with full grocery bags. He always bought enough for a week, probably longer if food would stay fresh for that long.

And since a few month he also bought food for three to four people.

Even though he lived in a rather rundown little two-story house just outside the village next to the woods and didn't make much money with the few odd jobs he had, he seemed to have taken in three children.

The oldest of them Hayden Vipertooth came from a pureblood family and seemed to be rebelling a bit and run from home. Remus had been able to talk him into going home again. The reason he had escaped from home was, because they told him to abandon the other kid he had come with.

The boy had taken a shine to Gabriel Engels, who had the same furry-little-problem as Remus. Which may explain why they hid in his house. Gabriel Engels was a eight-years-old child from Germany, who had been attacked by Greyback when he arrived in the country.

Crow Moor, a seven-years-old orphan, whose grandparent had been war heroes from Grindelwald's time, was later picked up by Hayden, too. His grandparents had just died and couldn't take care of him, but it seemed like Remus's parents had known them. He had been contacted about the child and decided to temporary provide lodging, which turned into not so temporary.

So, he expected to come home to two or three unruly children.

What he didn't expect was them playing around with a dirty big black dog. Shocked he let go of the bags that then fell to the ground with a dull thud.

"Padfoot?", he asked disbelieving before his tone quickly changed.

"Get away from the children!", he snarled as he whipped out his wand glaring at the intruder.

Said canine was flattening its ears guiltily as it laid itself on to the ground moving backwards from the confused young ones as Remus stepped forward with narrowed eyes. He took a deep breath. Having a distance between an Azkaban convict and the children surely calmed his nerves.

The only question would be what said convict was doing here?

Throwing a short glance at the three children he immediately send them to their rooms before addressing the grim-like dog again

"You shouldn't be here", he remarked, lowering his wand just a bit as he saw the other's eyes following every movement warily.

It seemed to have reassured the other enough to sit up again and transform back to the familiar features of a man, who once had been one of his best friends and maybe more.

"I suppose", the other gritted out agitated and sarcasm dripping from his words, "I should be in Azkaban"

Remus readied himself to retaliate as he nodded stiffly.

"I was framed", Padfoot spoke as he stood up and begun to pace around like a caged tiger.

It even made the wolf in him tense although it still recognized the moving man in front of him as a pack mate. Growling when he heard the words.

"By whom?", Remus inquired skeptically.

Sirius looked at him, his self and the wolf lurking behind, directly into the eyes.

The intensity showed a tiny spark of madness, but it also gave price to trust and the pleading him to believe the next words he practically spat out as if he had licked poison.

"Peter Pettigrew!"

…oOo…

Truly it had taken some convincing that another one of his best friends was the true culprit and nearly blind trust urged on by his animal instinct to protect pack no matter what opinions were warring in his mind, but it had all turned out well in the end.

He had begun working up Sirius's case. Convicted without proof and trial by the estimation of clueless muggle eyewitnesses and non-witness aurors arriving at the scene.

Just taken him directly to Azkaban on the minister's order.

He had felt so sick when he had then discovered evidence of Peter's death eater dealings.

That traitor had nearly gotten two of his friends killed.

Had gotten one thrown into Azkaban, which actually may have been worse.

The wolf in him had been so angry, snarling and fighting its restraints to hunt the rat down.

Only the presence of the children had calmed him down enough.

He took the whole issue to court with the backing of Dumbledore. And although the minister and several high-standing members had tried to do otherwise they had won their case.

Sirius was free and they're gotten drunk in celebration.

It was one of the most awkward situations afterwards waking up naked in bed with each other, but they had decided to try a relationship. They had only found out later that they hadn't actually slept with each other when the memories were slowly returning.

Memories that also contained all the strange things Sirius had commented and whined and laughed about. It took Remus a while to put a theory together before he confronted his friend.

And it took another while and lots of arguments before he learned the truth that the Sirius from this world was probably dead and left his body behind for this one to occupy, which was why the news of his escape was delayed. At least their worlds were pretty similar to the point of that fated night.

Then after relentless annoying urging and whining from Sirius he adopted both Gabriel and Crow and later on Orion, who was Gabriel's age and also a werewolf and one year younger Aurora, they're newest addition, who was obviously despite protest Sirius's favorite.

And now there's another world traveler.

Remus vaguely wondered, who it was, as he made his way upstairs.

He was pulled out of his musing when he saw his children laughing and running from the room chased by a teen, who gave him a passing smile.

Oh, he thought unsure. The teen in front of him looked nearly exactly like James and Lily's eldest son, Harry. With differences.

He was scrawnier, had distinctly intense aged eyes, a scar on his forehead resembling a lightning bolt and scruffier hair that was by few inches longer. He didn't look like the thirteen-years-old, he should be, but then also Sirius merged with this world Sirius prior to his death by years.

Then what happened to the Harry of this world?

As it turned out this worlds Harry was fine, although when he and Sirius had fire-called James when the kids were all in bed, the two additions included, they surely had to have an excuse for it, because the boy didn't want anyone to know he wasn't from this world. He also didn't want to take away this world's Harry's place, if he hadn't already.

As it turned out, Sirius lying was brilliant as ever, although he still didn't condone lying.

"Well, prongs, we have a new kid in the house and let me tell you!", Sirius exclaimed with well-played excitement, "He looks so scarily similar to your son, that I nearly thought Harry was playing a trick on us and wanted to check"

His eyes shone with mirth thinking about the truth. He could even hear Moony coughing behind having choked on his tea at the statement.

James on the other hand just laughed.

"Another one? Looking like Harry? Maybe his long lost twin", more coughing from Remus, "Well, one more and you two have more children than me and Lily"

At that statement Sirius grinned at his best friend.

"Did I tell you, he came with his own godson?"

This time it was James, who was spluttering.

"Merlin, you have a full house", the man commented, "A good thing you decided to clean up Grimmauld Place and move in there then. That comfy shack of Remus is too tiny"

Sirius nodded in agreement.

…oOo…

Harry had spent the last evening indulging in the activities Remus and Sirius's children were contenting in. He had played with both Crow and Gabriel, helped Gabriel and Aurora with their summer homework and played chess against Aurora and Orion. He won all games even though both of them were great players, but he would never have lived it down losing against them. Not if he already lost so often against Draco, Hermione and most especially Ron. He never won a game against Ron, who was bloody brilliant when it came to strategic thinking.

It was also nice to all settle down together in the living room, where they all would sleep.

He had sat with a sleepy Teddy on his lap, who demanded a story.

And he proceeded to tell the story of the three brothers using a simple charm he once came across in a book to project shadows onto the opposite wall illustrating the plot. And although they all already knew the story it had lured all four others to him as well.

Shy, but cheerful Crow.

Nice, but proud Aurora.

Quiet, but amiable Gabriel.

And even the wary and aloof Orion.

Harry paused in his thoughts, they reminded him of the four founders except he knew that two of them were Gryffindors, but he also knew that the Sorting Hat does take your own choices into account.

Now…

Humming Harry put breakfast on the table already hearing grumbling people waking up.

He had without a reason woken up quite early, checked up on Teddy, gone for a walk to get to know the surroundings, found a snake or two, taken them with him and had decided to prepare breakfast after going through all cabinets in the kitchen to get a feel.

The first one to arrive at the table was Remus with Teddy in his arms, his wolf surely woke him up to the smell of bacon and eggs. It looked so natural and Harry had to force the regret down that Teddy won't know his parents, but at least he could get to know a version of them.

It was interesting to see how Remus hadn't even notice the snakes sleeping tangled together on the kitchen table at first.

Well, at least not until he sat down and then jumped up and back knocking his chair over.

"There are snakes on the table", Moony stated not quite believing, wondering if he was still sleeping.

Harry nodded sagely.

"Why do we have a Runespoor on the table?", Sirius's voice came floating from the doorway.

One of the three heads had just woken up and was now regarding him curiously.

"And a garden snake", remarked an also incoming Orion as another head and then the last one woke up. He was followed in by the other three children.

"Where does a Runespoor", Gabriel wondered aloud, "even come from in this place?"

Unlike Aurora, who regarded the animals on the table with disdain.

"Can anyone just take this stupid things from the table before my appetite is gone"

Crow just hid behind her, not sure, if he should be curious, excited or afraid.

Ignoring his siblings Orion just took a seat keeping an eye on the animals on the table.

"Can you make pancakes?", he asked.

Harry nodded and begun to mix the batter as the other just watch the two incredulously.

"Where's your house pride?", Aurora poked Orion as if he was a curious foreign thing, "How can you stand something so Slytherin while eating?"

She thoughtlessly jabbed her finger in the direction of the snakes quickly retracting her hand when one of them snapped at her. The movement also waking up a dazzled garden snake.

Harry's amusement vanished.

He extended his arm toward the snakes prompting them to climb up until they did so.

He did not yet want to divulge that he was a parselmouth, if that is the reaction he would get.

He didn't know when but at one point after the war the ability to communicate with serpents returned to him, even though he checked at Voldemort's soul piece didn't, which he was immensely grateful for. He doesn't think he would come back from Death a second time around.

The garden snake wound around his throat like a necklace and Runespoor contently entangled over his left arm he turned back to the stove.

He soon found himself fascinated that the Runespoor seemed to know how to help by actually mixing the measured ingredients as he was minding the food in the pan.

But turning his back on the occupants of the room didn't mean that he didn't continue to listen to them. He could hear that Aurora wouldn't touch the pancakes.

And Sirius and Remus…

"You didn't tell me, he was so slytherin", Remus remarked with no ill-will.

He just wanted to know, which house the boy had been in.

The Harry of this world was a Gryffindor and a prankster like his father had been.

"He isn't", Sirius replied, "He's very much gryffindorish"

So, a Gryffindor, too? Now Remus was more likely curious about the snakes.

Snakes that Harry explained had been fighting in the garden before Harry had picked them up.

Aurora had scoffed when he had told them that he named them, but she also thought that Harry should just let nature take it course.

She was a nice girl, but young and set in her limited world views.

She reminded him bit of Sirius, who definitely didn't discouraged such behavior while Remus did.

Harry thinks they balance each other out just fine.

Gabriel was as example more like Remus, calm and bookish.

"The garden snake is Floare", rather young and spunky, he continued in his head. That snake was so gryffindorish it was amusing. She gotten into a fight with the Runespoor out of curiosity and then didn't back down. She probably unlikely to notice that if Harry hadn't intervened that it would have been a rather short life she lived.

"The Runespoor is Flare, but I named the individual heads, too. Reen is the dreamer, Storm the planner and Rune is the critic. Strangely it's always Reen and Storm hissing at each other. Or more likely Storm hissing at Reen, who was just being happily amicable. I wonder how they survived with three heads intact."

True to it, Reen is bugging Storm and Rune, who unlike the other heads claimed to be female, is snapping at the other heads to not cause her a headache. Both Reen and Storm ceased their interactions sulkily as they don't particularly want to be poisoned. They already heard of the demise of others of their kind and the self-mutilation for mind's sake.

Breakfast went uneventful.

Their were talking about the move into Grimmauld Place and Harry couldn't help but be excited.

He had lived there after the war. Not to forget that Kreacher had been a great help minding Teddy.

And his thoughts halted.

He had so far not even inquired about the outside rand of things being rather content having Sirius back and Remus kind of and getting to know the children.

He would have to get answers to his question later.

They went to Diagon Alley for school supplies today. They planned so before he crashed into their life and Harry wasn't going to stop them. He could get some history books and other helpful things.

Harry had also decided to go to Hogwarts again when the term started.

He was already preparing himself a new name and new history in his head.

If only he could now learn Occlumency successfully. He would have to ask Sirius for help.

…oOo…

"How can I help you, Mr. -"

The goblin was regarding him from with a skeptical eye.

He looked like a scrawny thirteen-years-old. And he came without a guardian. In clothes that had seen better days. Perfectly understandable.

"Peverell", he answered in a professional sophisticated manner that in no way matched his appearance. It was fun.

The goblin raised an eyebrow before narrowing his eyes at him looking even more skeptical than before. Then Harry gradually was gleefully grinned at in a quite malicious way.

"Do follow me", the goblin said in a clipped manner as he was lead toward the wagons that should bring them into the lower levels. And he gulped as he wondered why the goblin hadn't even asked him to verify his claim.

He was rather surprised when he saw a laughing Bill Weasley getting out of one of the wagons and said man was immediately pulled back in by Harry's guide.

"You're needed to verify that our security measurements aren's faulty and it was his own fault that this youngster died", the goblin spoke as Harry was also pulled into the wagon that was already slowly staring to move.

Bill gaped and Harry smiled weakly.

He isn't sure if it's because of the looming sense of doom thanks to the goblin or if it's because he was now sitting right next to Bill Weasley.

Dead in the other world.

The ride was long enough that both of them had time to calm down, introduce each other, befriend each other(once again) and even pull the goblin into their talk.

Nervously Harry took the ceremonial knife and pressed it to the palm of his hand. Taking a deep breath and closing his eyes he moved it. The magic from the blade immediately closing the wound as blood coated it.

Looking at the ruby shimmering liquid on the metal he glanced at his goblin guide and Bill Weasley standing quite a way from him before pushing knife into the runic ensemble on the stone in front of him and pulling out again when the blood begun to move along the indented lines and the stone shook as it moved.

He was not gleeful about the two slackjawed gobsmacked bank workers. Not at all.

…oOo…

Leaving Gringott's he walked whistling toward Madame Malkin's. He was in need for new robes.

Entering the store, he felt a the crazy sense of a deja-vu as he saw a familiar blond getting fitted.

The situation reminded him far to much of his first visit to Diagon Allley before his first year.

And the following conversation.

"Hullo", Malfoy greeted him, "Hogwarts, too?"

Deciding to be amicable Harry nodded. "Yeah, starting this year"

Malfoy scrutinized him becoming confused.

"But you're not a first year", he remarked.

Harry nodded again. "Yeah, but I'll start as a third year"

Malfoy's lips formed something between a smirk and a smile.

"Same year as me then", he said offering Harry his hand.

With a uncertain smile Harry took it. It wouldn't do to already alienate Malfoy when he didn't even knew the situation in this world yet.

"I'm Jamie. Nice to meet you"

"Draco. Draco Malfoy"

Spending the rest of his shopping trip with Malfoy was actually quite interesting.

They also actually got along well enough despite Harry's initiate reservation. They talked about Quidditch and a bit about Hogwarts, about some books.

Before they parted they even took a look into the Magical Menagerie.

Harry still couldn't believe that he had acquired two more snakes, which for some reason immensely pleased Draco, who was rather surprised in a good way, when he found out that Harry had a Runespoor slung around his midriff and his strange necklace was actually a living snake.

And now he had Pearl, an ordinary iridescent albino corn snake wound around his right arm and Onyx, a black magical snake of unknown breed wound around his left arm. Oddly they both had been from the same nest. Harry wondered, if he should buy a basket or bag or something for them - all these snakes.

He did. With heating charm included.

…oOo…

"Harry, where did you go to? We were looking for you. It's time to go home"

Home. He liked that sound.

"I went to Gringott's, Padfoot"

"You do know you can't use the Potter's vault, do you?"

Harry stared at his godfather.

"So which one did you use?"

"The Peverell one"

Sirius spluttered and nearly tripped into other shoppers to the entertainment of his godson.

"How-?"

"I've met Malfoy"

"Who Lucius?"

"No, Draco"

"Cissa's kid?"

"Yep, we're sort-of friends now, I think…"

"Harry?"

"Hn?"

"Are that two more snakes I see on you?"

"Probably…?"

"Probably?"

"Yes, alright! We we're in the Magical Menagerie and they were calling and sort of whining around and most definitely not liked being there since it was under they self-decided standards"

"Calling? Whining? Is there something you want to tell me?"

"Eh…I'm a parselmouth?"

"Was that an answer, because it pretty much sounded like a question"

"Geez!"

"Why did you never tell me?"

"Never thought about it"

"You'll tell me the story later"

"Yeah…"

…oOo…


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Fred and George were most interested when they found a new-but-not-first-year-face in the crowd.

He was standing with the Black-Lupin children and they wondered, if he was another adopted one.

He and that young one in Lupin's arm.

"I count-"

"-six-"

"-do you reckon-"

"-that Black-"

"-and Lupin-"

"-try to rival us Weasleys?"

Grinning sharkishly at each other they approached they newest victim, the new-but-not-first-year-face, when he was left alone.

Both Aurora, probably to find Ginny, and Gabriel, probably to find Potter, had scurried in the direction of gathered Gryffindors followed by Crow-was-it-? and the two adults with the kid. Orion seemed to have long disappeared to who-knows-where.

Only that newbie seemed to have been in too much in thoughts to notice.

They were about to tap him on the shoulder from behind to give him a natural seeming scare that wouldn't gave price to their joker disposition, when they found themselves eerily stared at by four pair of eyes. And none of them where from the boy or even human to begin with. Fucking creepy snakes.

The boy turned around tilting his head at them curiously.

He looked like that Potter brat. But not the same. He just seemed different.

Scrawnier.

Calmer.

Less arrogant.

Less trouble.

The next words slipped totally unintentional from Fred's lips.

"Is that a runespoor?"

"Actually three-headed?", his George immediately continued.

"And a garden snake?"

The boy stared at them warily and nodded.

"Wicked!", they exclaimed together to diffuse the tension before looking at each other thoughtfully.

"But very Slytherin", they remarked more hushed.

The unknown entity in front of them narrowed his intensive green eyes at them in a challenging manner.

"Would that be a problem?" Like a test- They both shook their head. -and seemed to have passed.

"No matter what house a prank victim is a pr-", they stopped.

A revelation hit them and they nodded sagely at each other.

"Well played", one exclaimed with staged seriousness.

As the other cried out in faked dismay, "What trickery!"

"We admit defeat this time around", the both said. Their plan was known. At their own fault even.

And both twins had a feeling that the boy in front of him hadn't even orchestrated it.

That had never happened to them before. They shrugged.

"I'm George Weasley", Fred said.

"And I'm Fred Weasley", George said.

"Or Forge!"

"And Gred!"

"We go by that, too"

"If you say so", the boy commented offhandedly before grinned shyly at them as he introduced himself: "Nice to meet you. I'm Jamie Hadrian Evanson-Peverell"

"Fancy name", one twin.

"And Peverell", the other one.

"Sounds very familiar", both commented. Very familiar.

The newly introduced Jamie Hadrian Evanson-Peverell shrugged at the twins antic although smiling.

They talked a bit before the twins wandered off again. Probably looking for Lee.

What to do now? Maybe he should go looking for Moony. The man was going to teach this year after all. He smiled remembering that Professor Lupin still had been the best DADA teacher he had so far. Followed by fake-Moody. For an evil henchman the guy had been a rather competent if unorthodox teacher, if one didn't hold traumatizing Neville and Malfoy into against him. Harry kind of did.

Pulling his wand out he performed the Point-me spell to get a general direction and begun to walk there.

A walk that was cut halfway short when a familiar three-years-old with turquoise hair run into him with a huff, followed by two older twin girls that also crashed into them. It was no wonder Harry landed laying flat on his back with three children sprawled over him.

"Jamie!", the three-years-old called him and Harry was for once rather glad that Teddy was such an intelligent child to understand that he couldn't use Harry's name anymore.

"Hullo, Teddy!", Harry, now Jamie, said smiling gently at the grinning child sitting on his chest.

The two dazzled girls with auburn hair like his mother, too, seem to get hold of themselves. They looked like they couldn't be older then Teddy by one or two years.

When they looked at them though he could see their mismatched eyes widening.

"H-Harry…", the one with the glasses stuttered out as they both quickly scrambled down from him.

And he wondered if they knew his counterpart and why they would be so fearful of him.

"Nope", he said as he stood up, "Ain't Harry as Teddy here already said", he pulled the two of them to their feet, too before they could react, "my name is Jamie and it's nice to meet you two pretty ladies", he said ending the whole thing with a gallant bow and a charming smile that send them giggling and Teddy clapping.

"So", Jamie, he had to get used to the name, looked at Teddy, "where did you left Professor Lupin?"

Teddy grinned innocently at him and Jamie couldn't help but feel that it must be the Marauder genes.

"Uncle Remus is with our parents", the girl without the glass chimed in with a shy smile.

Jamie smiled back.

"Then I guess I have to bring his two wayward students back to him"

Both girls giggled again.

"Silly, you", they said, "We're only five! We don't go to Hogwarts yet"

"Still, I rather bring you back before anyone gets worried", he said as he took Teddy by the hand, "and excuse me for not asking earlier, but what would you two charming ladies be named?"

They giggled again and Harry wonders, if girls always did that when they were together. One of them didn't even seem like the type, but on the other hand he also didn't know them yet. Bad Harry- Jamie. You don't stereotype.

And he wonders if all twins could do the whole twin speech thing, but he only had met two pairs of twins in his life so far. The Weasley twins and the Parvatis.

"I'm Violet Juno Potter", the one with the glasses introduced herself calmly.

"And I'm Lilac Julie Potter", the other one chirped.

And while Jamie's mind reeled around the fact that the two girls were Potters, Teddy certainly didn't miss a beat to introduce himself, too.

"I'm Teddy!" "We know that already!", both twins said and couldn't help but laugh.

"So, why did you call me Harry earlier?", he asked them although he thinks he knows.

"Because you look like him", Juno explained, "He's our big brother."

Julie nodded, but couldn't help but also add: "But you're a lot nicer!"

"He's a git!"

"And a dork!"

"And a prat!"

"And a jerk!"

"And you're not", they both ended it together.

And Jamie couldn't help but give a laugh even though he just learned that his counterpart wasn't…nice…

"And please, don't tell our mother we said that!", Juno said.

Julie nodded pouting, "although he deserves it!"

Jamie nodded, looking serious as Teddy made a motion of zipping his mouth shut.

"She'll hear nothing from us", he said in a confidential tone as if he was keeping a state secret and was happy to hear when they both giggled again.

The Harry of this world sounded terrible.

At one point one of them pointed in the direction they were going and Harry looked in that direction only to get his breath stuck.

There were his parents. Well, the counterparts of his parents. Alive.

There they stood together with Moony and Padfoot.

And Crow and a girl his age with short auburn hair like mothers.

His mother, who looked vibrant and lively as she laughed at the antics of the marauders holding hands with his father, who still looked incredibly besotted with her.

Jamie smiled sadly. He doesn't think he's ready to meet them yet.

"Well, until we meet again, Myladies", he said with flourish and bend down to kiss both their hands.

"But we wanted to introduce you to our parents!", Julie whined, but a tug from Juno on her hand silenced her and Jamie smiled at her and she gave a small smile back.

"Another time", he said, "But do tell your uncle Remus that I'll be waiting in the train"

"Now run along", he said and shooed them in the direction of their parents although Teddy insisted on staying with him as he entered the train to look for a compartment.

Bugger that too perceptive brat for his age.

…oOo…

They passed the Parvati twins and Lavender at one point, who both stopped to coo at Teddy.

Lavender in the end scared Teddy a bit and she needed to be tugged away by the twins when they parted ways. She scared Jamie a bit, too.

And although he was not looking for anyone in particular he entered the compartment where he found this worlds Hermione sitting in.

"Hey", he greeted her not exactly sure how he should act.

She looked briefly up from her book her mouth turning to a scowl and Jamie was left in his mind cursing his counterpart again.

"Potter! What do you want?", she said in a clipped manner, bookmarking the page and closing the book when he didn't leave.

She looked up glaring at him when she noticed something.

"You're not Potter"

He grinned at her abashed.

"Eh, no, I'm not. Hi, I'm Jamie Evanson", he introduce himself.

"I'm Teddy!", the young boy she hadn't noticed before behind the teen exclaimed before she could introduce herself. He looked like a smaller younger carbon copy, strangely with the scar included.

She smiled at the kid. "Nice to meet you. I'm Hermione Granger"

She blushed when Jamie kissed her hand and laughed when Teddy copied the movement.

Boys never treated her like that. She was just a bookworm after all.

"Nice to meet you, too", they both said.

"So, can we keep this-"

Teddy interrupted him with slowly said today newly learned words trying to pronounce the clearly, "-char-ming la-dy-"

"-here company", Jamie ended the sentence a bit dumbfounded.

Hermione just cooed at Teddy and ushering them in. It kind of miffed Jamie that Teddy was like a free card into the female heart while he only get laughed at.

"You're brother is not raising you to be a lady's man is he?", she asked looking up with fake glare at the other teen.

Jamie spluttered.

"God, no", he said thinking of the possible trouble before looking thoughtful as if he was complementing something, "although my godfather may…"

It was more in an afterthought that he added to explain, "And I'm not his brother, but his godfather"

Hermione laughed.

It wasn't until later on the journey that she learned that the boy was a metamorphmagus and grilled Jamie for information about it.

"Anyway sorry for being so cross with you before", she apologized, "I mistook you for someone else"

"No harm done", Jamie said as he put his trunk away and sat down, "You're not the first one today"

"Who's that Harry?", he asked, "He sounds like a git, a dork, a prat and a jerk as his sisters so eloquently put it" He wondered if should feel insulted insulting himself. Nah.

"Yeah, that's sounds about right", she laughed, "He's just like the typical school yard bully"

Jamie looked at her in wonderment, "Why would someone want to bully you?"

"I'm not well-liked, because I'm kind of a know-it-all", she explains, "which is why I'm always at odds with Harry and two other boys"

"Two other boys?"

"Yeah, Draco Malfoy, who's a right git", she said pointing out of the window where Jamie quickly spotted a familiar blond head together with his parents and three unknown people saying goodbye.

Two of them where blond around the age of Juno and Julie and Jamie wondered what it was today with twins. The other one was black head their age with locks of hair that curled up at the ends and aristocratic features that seemed too familiar. Jamie wondered who it was. The boy didn't exist in his old world.

"-and Ron Weasley. Who is such a dork", she continued and begun to rant about all three of them before looking at him sheepishly.

When he told her that he had meet Malfoy at Diagon Alley already and kind of befriended him, she looked even more uncomfortable.

He cracked her an understanding lopsided grin. He knows how Malfoy could be.

Malfoy sounded in this world just like the arrogant prejudiced youth he was in Jamie's old world and Ron just seemed to be what he could have been considering the golden trio's relationship before the troll. Just more arrogant and self-confident maybe. Jamie stopped thinking about it when he begun to set parallels between Ron and Malfoy. He knows they're actually have quite a few similarities, but he doesn't really want to think about it. His counterpart on the other hand seemed awful, but he doesn't want to judge him yet before he actually met him. Maybe he was just more stern with himself?

It was soon that they lapsed into a comfortable silence as the train just started to move.

Professor Lupin had found his way to them and was now napping together with Teddy in the corner at the window.

Hermione was reading her book again and Jamie just watched slowly faster getting sceneries passing by the window.

He could hear familiar voices when the compartment door slid open.

"Sorry, the other compartments are already full and-", Neville broke off mid-sentences as Ron came to stand beside him. Hermione was glaring at them.

While Neville was to Jamie's surprise quite confident Ron was glaring back at Hermione.

"Erm, hi, I'm J-", he started trying to break the tension when Ron interrupted him snapping quite loudly: "Stuff it, Potter!"

Although he immediately begun to apologize furiously when Teddy started to cry being awoken so rudely from his nap that an agitated Jamie had to fuss over him and noticing that Jamie indeed was not the accursed Potter.

"You're not Potter" It was Neville, who stated the now obvious fact earning himself a due look from the unknown boy that send him blushing in embarrassment before he composed himself again.

The unknown boy did the same having now successfully calmed the child down and instead grinned at the two boys standing in the doorway.

"Hi, I'm Jamie Evanson"

"Ron Weasley"

"Neville Longbottom"

"Teddy!" "Remus Lupin-Black", Jamie ended.

Stopping to glare at each other even Ron and Hermione cracked a smile and Jamie was again thanking the universe for his godson.

It was a great accomplishment Jamie believes that he gotten Ron and Hermione to get along enough to have them both seated without any great argument breaking out.

Teddy was napping again on Remus's lap this time across from a reading Hermione.

Which was next to Neville and Ron, who were talking about Quidditch with Jamie, who sat across from them next to Hermione. Professor Lupin stayed asleep and Jamie was sure he was faking. And it was despite small disputes between the counterparts of his two best friends rather peaceful.

Only disturbed when halfway on their journey Draco Malfoy slid the door open glaring at Jamie.

"Why are you here?", the blond asked.

"Why shouldn't he be here?", Ron immediately bit out fuming confused when he was ignored. That never happened before

At the blank look from Jamie, the Malfoy heir gave a sigh.

"Why weren't you looking for me?", he elaborated.

Oh! Understanding dawned onto the scrawny black-haired twelve-years-old.

"I didn't see you when I came onto the train, then I found Hermione and I guess I didn't thought about it later on and just expected to meet you at Hogwarts…"

"What would you even want from someone like him?", Ron asked angrily.

"Nothing against you", Neville immediately tried to do something about Ron's thoughtless words as Ron looked sheepishly at that when he noticed.

Jamie sighed and smiled at them reassuringly.

"His company", Malfoy spat with a due look before turning to Jamie again.

He was about to say something when he was stopped by the Weasley again.

"Why would you want to spend time with a…muggleborn?", he asked.

Ron now turned to Jamie.

"You are, aren't you? Evanson is not a wizard name"

"Actually I'm what you call a half-blood", seeing Draco tense he added at least to calm some of the blond's nerves, "But both my parents were wizards"

"At least something", Malfoy commented haughtily and shrunk a bit under the glare of four pair of eyes, even the one of his newest friend and he bristled a bit before glaring back.

He also didn't know why in the end he didn't left right there now that he found out that Jamie was only a half-blood, but maybe it was the snakes. He remembered that boy had four snakes and they were his favorite animals, which had nothing to do with house pride, beside cats and his eagle owl. And maybe it was because the boy wanted Draco's opinion when they were shopping in Diagon Alley and always interrupted him when he started his sentences with 'My father reckons…' and 'My father said…' instead asking for his own thoughts on the matter, prompting him to actually think about the matter at hand.

It had been refreshing to meet someone, who wanted to be his friend because of himself instead of his parents and family like it was normal within Slytherin.

"But I reckon you'll be in Slytherin?", he asked instead closing the compartment door as he sat himself beside the black-head despite protest of the Weaselby.

"We occasionally get half-bloods"

Unbeknownst to him Jamie knew that, recalling a boy by the name Tom Riddle, the potion master Severus Snape and the fact that he himself had been close to being sorted there.

Instead Jamie decided to play clueless and just asked: "Slytherin? That's one of the houses, isn't it? I heard of them"

"I wouldn't get myself sorted there", remarked Ron, "There are only dark wizards coming from there."

"Does that mean you would just abandon me or any other friends of yours when they were sorted into Slytherin?", he asked truly curious about the answer.

Ron spluttered: "No, I- Why would I do that, I mean we would be friends and- Merlin, I don't know?"

Neville to the amusement of Draco, was trying to reassure Jamie, too, that they wouldn't just abandon him in that evil house.

Jamie grinned brightly and them all.

"But I reckon that Gryffindor is the best house", Neville said with Ron backing him up after Jamie reassured them that he didn't take what they said as offense.

And then it just escalated into an argument between the three boys about which of their houses is better, but at least it wasn't about blood purity.

He laughed when Hermione leaned in conspiratoringly as the others were occupied just to tell him, that he could if he want to, also join her in Ravenclaw.

In an afterthought it was strange that Hermione wasn't a Gryffindor. After all she didn't have a reason to chose differently in his old world, because of him, did she?

…oOo…

Jamie couldn't help, but give a exaggerated: "Again?", when the door slid open again just few minutes later.

It was the boy, he had seen with Malfoy at the train station.

The boy snarled at them all before his eyes settled on Malfoy, who was momentarily trying to beat Ron on the wizarding chessboard that was balanced on a side-way put trunk between them while Jamie and Neville were playing Exploding Snap with Teddy, who was stroking Draco's ego by having the same blond hair, although he kept Jamie's brilliant green eyes.

"What are you doing here?", he asked Malfoy and Jamie had the feeling of deja-vu that the other occupants also had.

Even Teddy looked at the boy in the doorframe funnily and the kid had been asleep when Malfoy had stormed in.

"As you can see, cousin", so that's the familiarity Jamie noticed, "I'm wiping the floor with the Weasel at wizarding chess", the Malfoy heir answered with a smirk, putting his pawn forward closing in for a check.

A smirk that was immediately wiped away when Ron closed his trap for checkmate.

"How come that someone so stupid can play chess!", he complained the same time as his cousin talked again.

"My question is what you are doing in such distasteful company, Draco", the boy spat as he glared at all the other occupants, who just stared or glared back at him.

"I mean a blood-traitor, a mudblood, the golden boy and even Potter! I thought you wanted to look for that new friend of yours?", he bellowed clearly agitated.

"That is the friend I meant", Malfoy said gesturing towards Jamie.

The other looked shocked.

"You befriended bloody sodding Potter?", the black-haired boy gasped, trying to grasp the concept of these two being friendly with each other, "I thought you hated him?"

And really Jamie could bang his head against the wall.

"Why is it?", he begun in calm dangerous tone that promised pain if the answer was wrong, "that every single person I seem to come across in this bloody school mistakes me for some stuck up prat I've never even met before in my life!"

Instead of glaring at the occupants around him he stared at them with such a look that was a cross between saying your beneath me as he had seen so often from Narcissa Malfoy and still found quite impressive and a stern disapproving teacher look that made people squirm guiltily.

He fully ignored the twitch he saw from Moony trying not to laugh thinking of the truth and by now had sat up and was observing everything with utmost interest of a not-involved bystander like Teddy.

"My apologizes then", the boy said smoothly holding out his hand as if the few minutes prior hadn't happened, "May I then inquire your name"

Jamie grasped the hand and wondered for a briefly how the boy would react when he introduced himself.

"Jamie Hadrian Evanson. And you are?"

The question was ignored. Shaking his hand only briefly to not lost face the boy retracted his hand quickly looking at Jamie disdainfully.

"Another mudblood?", he inquired looking some what as if he had bitten into something sour, "Draco I'm kind of disappointed in your choice of company today. What would your father say"

"He's probably going to be a Slytherin, Hydrus", Malfoy tried to reason with said cousin.

"Then he will have to prove himself first to be so when he is", the teen, now identified as Hydrus, said, "until then he's just another mud-"

Jamie sighed and interrupted the argument that even Ron wisely kept away from in caution of making it worse.

"Actually I'm after your own definitions termed a half-blood and not as you incorrectly assumed without a proof a muggleborn or in the more intentional politically recognized term New Blood. As of I also do not see any fault in being new-blood. And if you had any knowledge of genetical inheritance, which I do know most wizards don't have, you wouldn't mind either. Not to mention that the term pureblood is even more incorrect unlike the widely used Old Blood as you don't know what had been breeded in and out of your family before your bloodline was documented. And while old-blood seemed to refer to wizarding aristocracy with far-rooted lineage it is utmost unbecoming that you, Hydrus Lestrange, who despite your noble status are entirely lacking the manner to introduce yourself, which you should have been probably taught and learned by now. Now is there anything else you like to say, heir Lestrange", Jamie ended his speech with flashing eyes lowly hissing the last part of the sentence.

But it was enough to wake up the snakes on him, who unrolled themselves and were now staring and hissing at the boy in front of them, who quickly went from red-faced red-seeing anger to being sickly pale in confrontation with such dangerous animals and only meekly shook his head.

Jamie smiled ignoring the "Bloody Hell!", from behind him clearly coming from Ron as he gesture to his left side. Only Floare turned to the red-head curiously.

"Now, would you like to take a se-", he stopped when he felt a familiar sensation.

Why hadn't he thought that it would happen in this world?

He knew Neville was the Boy-Who-Lived. He had Remus in his compartment.

Just because Sirius already escaped Azkaban and even had his name cleared? How could he be so naiv?

As the window begone to frost over he quickly ushered Hydrus into the compartment and toward the windows with all the others despite protest and inquiries for his strange reaction toward the sudden cold. Professor Lupin also stood up pressing a bundled up Teddy into Hermione's arms as he took out his wand to be ready. Even his snakes quickly slithered to hide under Draco's robe, who was farther away from the door.

In a split-second decision Harry stepped forward to close said door when he came face to face with a dementor. To close to react.

Flashes of his former life passed in front of his eyes, his mother's voice, Cedric, Voldemort, Sirius, Hocruxes, the battle of Hogwarts, so many many death, dead, dead friends, green flashes, dementors.

Before he fainted into the embrace of darkness he could hear Moony's voice conjuring blinding light.

 _"_ _Expecto Patronum!"_


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

When he awoke he found himself surrounded by familiar white walls.

Congratulations Harry-Jamie, you didn't even make it past the first-day mark.

Welcome to Hogwart's hospital wing, he thought grumpily himself.

And judging by the setting sun and his growling stomach it was probably time for dinner in the great hall.

Not finding Madame Pomfrey in the infirmary he assumed that she was also downstairs and probably thought that he would only wake up tomorrow. And maybe she had set up wards that would alert her, if he was in anyway in distress. Sadly he was much too familiar with this place.

Grabbing his glasses from the bedside table and jabbing them into his face he also quickly did away with the chocolate Remus must had left before leaving the room. He made a few unnecessary detours to make it realistic that he was new before actually finding his way to the great doors instead of the smaller ones leading into the great hall, where he could hear the sorting hat reaching the letter Z.

He hadn't been out for as long as he thought.

Maybe he was getting used to it.

For dramatically purpose of a great entrance alone he slammed the doors open as the fake-Moody had done to the side door in his fourth year and revealed in the reigning silence.

Dumbledore was still standing at the podium and was now motioning for him to come forward.

Something in the twinkle of his eyes told Jamie that he definitely knew that he had waited a few second before entering.

"Let us welcome our transfer student this year", he said laying a grandfatherly hand on Jamie's shoulder when he came to stand next to him, "Jamie Hadrian Evanson-Peverell"

The students clapped more or less enthusiastic depending on the table while the whole Slytherin table as did other informed purebloods begun to whisper about his last name.

Peverell were after all a pureblood line that was thought to be dead. If not a legend.

And Jamie was so glad that he took neither the Slytherin nor the Gryffindor name in, too.

If he ever had to think about the important family lines in his blood he would probably have to name himself Harry James Potter- or now Jamie Hadrian Evanson-Potter-Black-Slytherin-Gryffindor-Peverell. Or so.

And wasn't that just too long?

Technically seen he was also only the second heir to Slytherin after Tom Riddle, probably also only the second heir to Gryffindor as Neville was probably the first if his second year was like Jamie's and Jamie only came to this world afterwards. He was also only the second probably even first unknown heir to the Potter's sharing with the Harry Potter from this world and probably heir to Black, if Sirius hadn't named someone in this world and the contract's magic from the other world followed Jamie to this one. And while he also had Bulstrode and Flint blood as he had traced on the Black family tree. Both main families were still alive, didn't know him so far related, not to mention from another world coming, and had very much alive and healthy heirs, Marcus Flint and since Millicent Bulstrode was a female, probably someone else there. Patriarchal, but then again matriarchal families existed, too.

But alas he mostly hated thinking about the whole blood issue, because it was far to complicated. Even though he did often followed along the lines in the Black tapestry and other genealogical pages just to know that he had family somewhere out there and wasn't alone in the world.

It was comforting.

…oOo…

"Greeting, "

"Hullo, Hat"

"I would sort you, if you would lower this mind shields of yours"

"I thought they were weak enough for you to just slip through? I'm no good with them"

"They certainly are, but you seem to have them up for a reason"

"Thank you for respecting my privacy. I'ill lower them then, but promise me you won't tell anyone want you find beyond the wall?"

"Certainly. A student's sorting is a private thing that even the headmaster will not hear from"

"Thank you!"

"…That is most interesting. Very curious. I already sorted you"

"You did."

"Would you like to remain in that house?"

"Would a new sorting be different?"

"Well, you still would do great in Slytherin, but Gryffindor has proven itself to be a good match, too"

"And what would be the next choice?"

"Obviously Hufflepuff. While you have quite enough Ravenclaw traits, at the forefront your curiosity, they far too often fall behind your other house traits"

"Would it be alright for me to choose Hufflepuff?"

"Quite so, "

"Then I take Hufflepuff"

"It is decided then. It was nice talking with you. Most interesting"

"Yes, it was great talking to you, too"

"Do borrow me from the headmaster sometimes in the future. I'd like to hear more of your world"

"I have no reason not to"

…oOo…

 ** _"_** ** _Hufflepuff!"_**

…oOo…

Giving a timid smile he made his way toward the enthusiastically clapping table.

It was Cedric Diggory who pulled him to the free place between him and an enthusiastic waving Crow. Jamie did his best to stay composed and not think how the boy on one side of him to him was going to die next year instead of living the bright future in front of him while he listened to Crow's babbling. The boy seemed more open than at home. Anyway he would think later about a plan to save Cedric, for now he had to at least pretend to get to know his housemates.

…oOo…

It was after the feast.

Jamie was following Cedric to the Hufflepuff dormitories. The only ones he had never been to before when he was halted by Draco Malfoy grabbing his arm.

"What do you want from him?", Diggory asked him angrily probably thinking of bullying.

Badgers. Protective of their own. It seems, but then house loyalty was great in a all houses.

"Not your business", Draco answered in his usual infatuating drawl before turning to Jamie again.

"Why didn't you tell me, you were a Peverell?", he asked angrily. Jamie should have known from their talking how important blood and family lines were to Slytherins.

He glared at the uncomfortably fidgeting boy. It seemed like being sorted into Hufflepuff had actually turned him hufflepuffy. Except Malfoy remembers how uncertain the boy had seemed when they first met. Maybe it wasn't that far off.

"I just hadn't really thought about it. I'm not used to introducing myself as Peverell.", Jamie explained, "I just recently took the name"

Draco sighed tiredly as he looked into hopeful green eyes.

Merlin, the boy was so clueless. No wonder he was sorted into Hufflepuff.

"Anyway", Draco continued unabashed from the shocked look Diggory send them. The older Hufflepuff was clearly not expecting him to be friendly to a Hufflepuff, but all other Hufflepuffs were also bloody annoying or clearly nut jobs and losers thrown together.

And while Jamie was clearly a half the way a nut job, Draco had the feeling, at least he was not annoying, but interesting, intelligent and capable.

"I think you may want these back", he said smirking pulling the sleeve of his left arm up giving view to four different snakes resting there. he could see Diggory visibly tensing and about to pull the younger boy away when Jamie beamed at Draco.

"Thank you for taking care of them. I was worried what happened to them after I fainted"

Without further ado Jamie took the snakes from Draco as Diggory was wringing his hand in the background uncertain of how he should act. One head of the runespoor was after all venomous.

With certainty Cedric Diggory could already hear the chaos that was going to break out in his house.

Not to mention that snakes are dangerous. He couldn't even start to understand how the new Hufflepuff could be so delighted about them.

…oOo…

He knew it! He knew it! He knew it!

Hufflepuffs were running around, a screaming Smith, who was stupid enough to poke the s'posse-to-be-fake snakes and a shouting Finch-Fletchley and Macmillan, pillows were flying and the whole hissing.

Aggravated he turned to Jamie, who laid on the bed and had the three other snakes draped over him. The boy was reading some magazine contently. Yet said boy was also still able to look smug like a cat that got the cream.

"Could you, please", Cedric said gesturing toward Jamie's running year mate.

The boy snorted. "He deserved it. He was stupid enough to make fun of Floare. Pretty girls do tent to have a nasty temper when provoked"

"Yeah. She isn't bad", Cedric agreed. He does.

He was starting to understand why Jamie liked them or at the very least Floare.

Maybe it was because Jamie said that she was harmless or that she liked him.

Cedric didn't believe that Jamie actually understood the snakes, but he probably knows enough to recognize if a snake venomous or if she likes or dislikes someone.

"You know you can stop her yourself, don't you?", Jamie said after a pause.

Cedric gulped.

He didn't think he's that well-liked, but someone has to help his housemates and Jamie wouldn't do it. That brat.

Anyway he steps between boy and snake and was relieved to see that it did indeed stop and was now watching him.

It was rather stupid from Smith to therein fire a Cutting Spell at the snake from behind him.

And he was stunned. Jamie's reaction was fast.

 _"_ _Protego! Stupefy! Expelliarmus! Petrificus Totallus!"_

As Smith hit the ground frozen Jamie was standing up from the bed, his three snakes cascading down his back. They lazily curled up on themselves at the warm spot left from his body.

Only after making sure that Smith was really unable to move Jamie pocketed his wand in a wand holder on his right arm again and kneeled in front of the boy's face were he could be seen by him.

"What you did was really stupid", he begun to explain in a drawled voice that Cedric only heard Malfoy use so far. Only Jamie put a bit more of a bored tone to it which did nothing to make the boy's anger less scary. How did Hufflepuff end up with a person with Gryffindor temper?

"For one point, throwing a cutting spell at one of my snakes is already really stupid of you"

While on the outside he was perfectly composed Jamie was shuddering on the inside.

He sounded like Snape when he was talking about the Slytherins. His snakes. It had to happen, didn't it? Irony?

"And while _Diffindo_ is a ordinary Severing Charm", the boy continued, "your second offense was doing so while you neither had correct and clear aim nor regulation of the power behind the spell. As of yet you wouldn't have just killed Floare, which I would have had to kill you for, but you also would have severed off Cedric's arm off, which I also would have to kill you for, because I really wouldn't have known how to stop the bleeding before he bleeds to death"

Oh! Cedric thought looking at the arm, where Floare just wound herself around. He did like to keep his arm. And talking about him dying, Jamie did sound a bit panicky.

Maybe he did get to the rather distant Puff in the end.

 _"_ _Finite Incantem"_

…oOo…

…

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

The next morning by breakfast around Jamie fled to Crow's disappointment the Hufflepuff table that was throwing him distrustful glances. After the last evening the tension was a bit high considering that most of the badgers didn't like snakes. Instead he squeezed himself between two blond Ravenclaws earning him curious looks from the whole Ravenclaw house. They were now trying to come up with a theory that explains what may have happened.

"Hullo, Hermione!", Jamie greeted her with a smile. She smiled back.

Jamie also greeted the blond on the other side.

It was Luna and he would rather like to be friends with Luna again.

He could also see that neither girls were well-liked by certain house mates, although both were brilliant in their own special way.

Really Harry spend the morning talking about Crumpled Hornsnarks and Nargles, he was already subscriber of the Quibbler, which earned a snort from Hermione, and muggle science discoveries and stuff, since he also subscribed several of them, like National Geographics, BBC Knowledge, which Hermione found quite interesting. Luna also somehow incorporated certain things into her theories.

Thanks to Hermione Harry was now also subscriber of a magazine that featured spell history, theory, latest magical discoveries beside the one on magical creatures and herbology and the one for potions he already had. He had started to subscribe the first ones in his old world recommendation from Neville and Hagrid. The second one he had come across by coincidence. He had been browsing around, saw it, thought of Snape and bought it on impulse. For some reason he took a liking to it.

The only thing he would never subscribe, is the Daily Prophet.

Breakfast was nice. It's decided. He'll eat the other meals today at the Ravenclaw table, too.

And tomorrow for reminiscence sake maybe he'll try the Gryffindors. But if he should be fair he should also eat with the Slytherins at least once. Yeah, he'll rotate, but four houses seven days…

Sunday for the Hufflepuffs, Monday for the Ravenclaws…Gryffindors get Friday and Saturday belongs to Slytherin…Every other day he should probably spend at his own house table.

Which means, no Gryffindor for him tomorrow.

Now that he thinks about it he still had to see Professor McGonagall about his time table and his electives before his first class.

No Divination and no Muggle Studies, while he loves to see professor Potter, the counterpart of his mother…No. He'll take Care of Magical Creatures and Ancient Runes. Although he could probably take Muggle Studies OWLs and later on NEWTs for extra points unlike Arithmancy. He may be fairly good in math, but he has no clues about magical numbers and what they mean.

Quickly he bids his farewells to the Ravenclaws before hurrying along.

"Did you decide on electives, ?"

"Yes, Care of Magical Creatures and Study in Ancient Runes, professor"

"Electives are between students from all houses"

"Yes"

"Well, here's your schedule, "

"Thank you, professor!"

Monday:

Magical Creatures (elective)

Ancient Runes (elective)

Transfiguration (Ravenclaws)

Potions (Ravenclaws)

DADA (Slytherins)

Tuesday:

Magical Creatures-morning (elective)

Charms-afternoon (Ravenclaws)

Astronomy-midnight (Slytherins)

Wednesday:

History of Magic-morning (Ravenclaws)

Herbology-afternoon (Gryffindors)

Thursday:

Charms (Ravenclaws)

Transfiguration (Ravenclaws)

Potions (Ravenclaws)

DADA (Gryffindors)

Magical Creatures (elective)

Friday:

Potions (Ravenclaws)

Ancient Runes (elective)

DADA (Ravenclaws)

And saturday voluntary extra classes. He couldn't quite remember what hit him, but he got one.

Herbology (elective)

Now knowing what his first class was he quickly stuffed the schedule into his pocket before quickly hastening outside.

He couldn't wait to meet Hagrid and Buckbeak again.

…oOo…

When he arrived at Hagrid's hut he was immediately greeted by Neville, Ron, Hermione and Draco.

Even Lestrange gave him a short greeting.

The boy was eyeing him oddly, not hateful or anything, just interested, curious?

All in all the whole interaction earned him odd looks from several classmates.

Who in their sane mind would ever befriend both the Gryffindor Golden Duo, the ostracized Ravenclaw know-it-all and the bloody heirs of Malfoy and Lestrange who were Slytherins? A Hufflepuff nonetheless.

Jamie did.

And he decided he was going to get to Hydrus, too.

While the Lestrange was stronger in his beliefs than Draco, Jamie observed, he also was more apathetic about them, paying neither muggleborns nor halfblooded any mind as long as they stayed out of his way.

He seems nice. Lie! He just seemed to care for Draco.

And Jamie cared for Draco, too. He could work with that.

He could try to annoy his way into that shell of the boy till he gave up, too. Jamie loved having options.

And just once in his life he looked at himself and thinks that maybe he had spent too much of his school years in Dumbledore's care. It was definitely more than any other student.

It also didn't escape his notice that Gabriel was in this class. The boy was standing with Jamie's counterpart and Dean and hadn't even looked at him once. Seamus was standing with Ron's group.

Jamie didn't really believe that Gabriel was friends with the Harry Potter that seemed to be that much of a bastard, but he'll talk to the boy later about that. What is it about the mysterious conflict that tears friends apart? Is it just this world? His missing existence? Alive people?

It was strange as Hagrid begun his explanation about Hippogriffs it was Lestrange who approached him.

Wondering what it was about Jamie stepped aside a bit from the group with him.

"Hullo."

"Morning. But that aside-"

"Greetings are polite", Jamie whined. He was allowed to whine. He was a Hufflepuff and it seemed like people expect that from the younger ones. He was a younger one. He was only third year.

"So is not interrupting others", retorted Lestrange.

Jamie smiled, "Touché! Do speak then"

Lestrange scowled.

"You do not order me around for once"

"Did not", he immediately insisted earning him another deeper scowl from the Slytherin.

Jamie relented.

"My apologies, I'm being silly today", he said before fidgeting around.

"Should I write a letter of apology, too?", he asked looking unsure, "Malfoy told me that some purebloods expect the custom for all slights"

The other boys scowl for some reason seemed to deepen even further.

Jamie wasn't sure now if it was because he was angry at him or because he actually deep in thoughts.

It turned out to be the latter.

"I'm pretty sure the other didn't hear it or didn't given it much more thought afterwards-"

Lestrange stopped when Jamie made a hand movement that indicated that he was keeping up with the topic at the moment. "What is?", he inquired just to get it done with.

"What are we actually talking about?", Jamie asked.

Lestrange sighed.

"That you're a parselmouth", he answered. Lestrange was pretty sure the last sentence in the train was hissed.

"Oh!", he exclaimed not sure how he felt about being discovered. It wasn't as if he was trying to keep it a secret.

"Yeah, oh!", Lestrange repeated still looking at him oddly. Like a puzzle he couldn't solve.

"What are you going to do about that?" Jamie looked at him reflecting that puzzled look.

"Nothing", Lestrange said mysteriously to him and left. Jamie huffed.

That was confusing.

He was about to join the others, too, when Zabini stepped into his path and accompanied him to the others.

"Hello", the dark-skinned boy said, "We haven't met each other yet, but I'm Blaise Zabini"

Jamie nodded. "Jamie Hadrian Evanson"

"Peverell", the other added.

Jamie just nodded again.

He swept a wary look over the other before watching the class.

"What do you want, Zabini?"

Neville seemed to do just fine as the first to approach Buckbeak, but it didn't seem as he would fly today.

Jamie could see Draco's frown from miles away.

His wand slipped out of the holder without him taking his eyes away.

"I just wanted to get a read of you", the boy answered taking Jamie off-guard when he was about to cast the Summoning Charm. His concentration waned in surprise for a second.

He hadn't though about such a direct approach, but a second was enough.

The magic behind the barely audible mumbled "Accio, Draco Malfoy", was too strong and instead of just making the boy stumble out of Buckbeak's hooves path the Malfoy went flying into him and they both crashed from the impact.

Tears sprung to Jamie's eyes as his back roughly hit the bark of a tree behind him.

Jamie hastily blinked them away.

He could see Hagrid stomping over with Neville, Ron, Hermione and Lestrange trailing a bit further behind.

"What happened?" the half-giant asked.

"I don't know", Jamie replied before the dazzled Malfoy got hold of himself enough to incriminate whoever he thought was responsible, "but I think both Malfoy and me are fine. So no harm done"

He smiled perfectly believable warm and innocent at Hagrid, who just smiled back, gave him an alright before pulling both of them to their feet.

The man then ushered and urged the rest of the class to concentrate back on the hippogriffs.

Even Malfoy was pulled along by his cousin, who was now keeping a sharper eye on him.

"I saw that", Zabini said in a triumphant voice as if he found some kind of treasure.

"What?", he asked suppressing the urge to wince as he could feel the wounded skin of his back stretch a bit. Well, he'll go to Madame Pomfrey after Ancient Rune in the small break before Transfiguration.

Instead he concentrated on the boy in front of him.

The dark-skinned boy threw him a short-lasting glare before answering: "That you slipped your wand out and summoned Malfoy"

Jamie huffed as he petulantly pouted when he replied: "Did not"

Blaise nearly threw his arm up and stalked away, but he wasn't satisfied with the results yet.

Full-out throwing a glare at the unperturbed Peverell he started the whole conversation again.

He couldn't believe that the boy could agitate him so much, but he wasn't going to give up.

"There's something about you", he began, "You get along with the Golden Duo, but you also associate with Malfoy and Lestrange"

Said boy just smiled mysteriously before offering his hand and innocently asking: "You can be my friend and find out you know?"

Alright! Blaise was giving up. He tried.

"I give up! You're a Hufflepuff! You're so hufflepuffy hufflepuffic it's terrible! It's sick!", he complained, "and you're also too Gryffindor! Which is even worse! You did the summoning to save that horsy bird's life and you also didn't even need to catch Draco when he came flying!"

Grumbling he took the boy's hand and shook it not sure yet if he was going to regret it or not.

He couldn't feel bad about it when the boy threw him the first real if sly smile since the start of the failed interrogation. Normal Hufflepuffs were just already easily intimidated by the Slytherin name alone.

Maybe this one had a tiny bit of a Slytherin in him.

He walked away, but not without informing his new friend that he was going to grill both Malfoy and Lestrange about him as he went back to his group, where Pansy was hanging off of Malfoy's arm again.

Jamie just smiled and hurried to his group consisting of Neville, Seamus, Ron and Hermione.

He was the only one, who hadn't interacted with a hippogriff yet.

And it was Buckbeak he ought to feel excited.

They bowed to each other and then he was allowed to approach.

After a while Buckbeak even offered him a ride.

Jamie took the chance and swung himself up and they both ascended into the clouds and around the school. Jamie couldn't help but let out shouts of joy being in the air again.

This new world wasn't bad!

He had his godfather back, Teddy could meet a version of his parents, he could make sure that at least a version of his friends are going to live and survive.

He gave an elated laugh when they landed again endorphins still swimming around in his mind.

He waved at his ruffled looking group and saw Hermione wring her hands.

Jamie realized the take off my have been a bit sudden.

He quickly apologized for worrying them nuzzled by Buckbeak, who was careful about his shoulder when Hagrid clapped him on the back.

Jamie muffled an outcry by firmly gritting his teeth together. Not a serious injury, but hurts.

He was thankful that Buckbeak immediately was stubbing Hagrid's hand away.

Which Hagrid did. "Woah!", the half-giant said, "Buckbeak seemed to have already taken quite a liking to you"

Jamie smiled weakly as the hippogriff threw him an accusing look that plainly stated that he was suppose to take better care of himself. Without really thinking about it he started grooming the hippogriff in thanks.

His actions were joined by the others of his group as Hagrid left them to it to go take a look at the others.

They talked a bit and joked around.

As Hagrid gave a last speech for the class Jamie sneaked himself a spot beside Gabriel.

"Hullo, Gabriel", he greeted him.

The boy looked up at him smiling uncertain.

"How are you doing?", Jamie continued handling along the lines of common courtesy.

"Fine", the boy answered strained.

And Jamie couldn't help but be worried. "Are you alright?", he asked.

His answer was that Potter shoved him away.

"He already said that he's fine!", the boy snapped, "What do you want with the mutt?"

Jamie sneered at his counterpart.

"What is it to you? I wasn't even talking to you", he snarled.

He was rather satisfied when both Harry and Dean flanking Gabriel now flinched.

"He's a werewolf, you know? A dark crea-", the boy ratted and Jamie interrupted him smirking condescendingly. "So what?"

Potter furiously growled at him before also smirking.

"I should have known that you liked dark things. You're a Slytherin-lover after all"

Harry immediately switched his face to an absolutely innocent one asking: "What's wrong with Slytheyrin"

And it clearly took Potter aback before utterly agitating him.

The boy certainly nearly threw a punch when he seemed to think otherwise as the whole thing was making a commotion. Instead he glared at Jamie and retreated. Dean followed.

As did Gabrielle after first looking unsure before throwing Jamie an apologetic glance.

Jamie shrugged.

He could see his friends approaching when they stopped looking uncertain at something behind him.

Jamie turned around and nearly jumped when he looked directly into Orion's dark grey eyes.

"Orion!", he exclaimed, "Don't scare me like that"

He really hadn't seen the boy in class at all.

The boy just looked at him.

"Thanks", he said indicating toward the direction Potter and his followers had disappeared to.

Jamie gave an understanding smile.

"I can't stand the prat"

Orion gave a small smile back at him before leaving in the same direction as waving Ron and Neville had left in trudging to their next class.

Only he, Malfoy and Hermione were left.

They all had Ancient Runes next.

He smiled brightly at them grateful that they had waited. Together even.

Jamie had no clue where the Ancient Runes classroom was at all.

"That was nice of you", Hermione said.

Malfoy snorted. "I found it more impressive", he commented.

Jamie just laughed.

"Really", Hermione insisted, "It was great of you to stand up to that bullying toerag"

"It's also the first time I saw the werewolf smile", Malfoy said.

"Orion?", Jamie asked.

He noticed Hermione frowning at that. Didn't she knew that Orion was also one?

Malfoy nodded.

Jamie frowned thoughtfully. "But he was smiling rather often at home"

Malfoy looked at him at that.

"Do you live with them? Why would you live with these people", he sneered.

And Jamie was sure that Malfoy would have said worse, if he didn't want to seem like Potter or offend him.

"Yeah, Sirius picked me up", he just explained trying not to smile or laugh.

"Isn't that scary?", Hermione asked and Harry looked at her inquiringly.

"What is?"

"Living with Orion", she said, "he seemed kind of scary."

Even Malfoy looked curious now.

Jamie smiled.

"No, he's great. He may be a bit aloof, but he isn't bad at all. He looks out for his younger siblings"

"Siblings?", Malfoy asked, "I thought he was only living with Lupin and Lupin Jr., because they were also lycantrophe?"

"No", Jamie explained, "Lupin also adopted Crow and Aurora"

"Aurora Black?", Hermione asked.

Jamie nodded.

"Yeah, I said that Sirius picked me up, didn't I? And it's Orion Regulus Black-Lupin you know"

"And Crow was that meek 1st year 'puff wasn't he?"

"Nothing 'gainst us Hufflepuffs, Malfoy"

"They all not right in the head", the blond huffed earning himself a slap to the head from Hermione for that.

Jamie laughed. Too true. Probably. In his case. Most certainly.

But as when they arrived at the classroom Malfoy held Jamie back after Hermione entered the room.

"Regulus. He was named after Regulus Black", Malfoy half-stated half-asked, "The one that was a Death Eater before he disappeared?"

Jamie nodded not really understanding what the other wants to know.

"Why would the traitor Black name his kid after him"

Jamie smiled sadly, "They were brothers and no matter what Sirius says. He loved his little brother and even though he doesn't know it. Regulus Black was a hero"

With that the black-haired boy entered the room leaving a confused blond to ponder over the last statement that he had accidentally let slipped as he followed.

…oOo…

Ancient Rune was great.

He was glad he already knew the basics from Bill Weasley the teacher was confusing to say.

It wasn't that she was a bad teacher, but she was a bit air-headed? Distracted? And talked fast and a lot.

Anyway she was better than Trelawny, that for sure.

Hermione was attentive as ever although she asked him here and there for help when Professor Babbling descended into murmuring thoughtfully about Runes and compositions again long in the class.

Malfoy on the other hand was deep in thoughts and Jamie hoped that the boy would soon forget about the slip-up.

Gabriel was also in the class.

When Jamie waved him the boy looked down into his lap.

Jamie was going to get the story about that later.

He did not. The boy refused to speak to him and instead slunk away looking a bit guilty.

It was Malfoy who took notice of the fact that his robe clung to his back as the blond hung half-step behind from him and Hermione.

They had resumed the tap from the breakfast table and came up with several of their own theories.

Being a bit bookish didn't seem so bad now.

Jamie admits he had gone totally rigid when Malfoy softly pressed a hand against the wet black fabric only to stare at the flecks of blood when he retracted his hand.

Without another thought the blond had pulled him to Madam Pomfrey followed by a fretting Hermione, who Jamie send to inform the others that he was fine albeit delayed. It would clear her mind.

The medi-witch immediately set to work while lecturing him for not immediately coming to her.

He explained that he wanted to come after Ancient Rune, but forget.

He had worse. Then Draco begun a lecture. And Jamie wondered where the boy got all the medical spell knowledge from.

Jamie asked directly when Madame Pomfrey went to get him some potion.

The boy admits it caught his interest for self-preservation when he came across it when he was researching potions. And he just read up on it.

Jamie now subscribes a magazine about muggle medicine and the one that Draco recommended and was the magical counterpart.

Madame Pomfrey was satisfied with his condition by the time the next classes were to start.

Transfiguration was mundane. Jamie had to hold back at least a little.

But it was nice to sit in class again and listen to professor McGonagall. So eventless.

Potion after the last Transfiguration was indeed more interesting.

Snape was…foreign.

The man watched him with no particular interest. But he watched him.

And Harry wondered if Dumbledore was the reason for it trying to gouge him out. Or some self-interest?

At least Snape while he snapped at him, too, did not single him out more than the others when Jamie showed himself to be adequate enough in potions to follow instructions and get things right.

At first he thought he may be looking too much a Potter, but then on other hand he was a Hufflepuff.

And Hufflepuffs were for some reason considered meek and nice.

Cedric Diggory is nice, but not meek.

And Harry knows that professor Snape knows better, but he is yet to ascertain the reason that said person had not taken his head off yet. But maybe, just maybe the tutoring from his last life, so to say, does help.

Who was he kidding, the man had put him through the drill until he was at least what said man considered adequate enough in every school learned potion and some.

Harry still liked cooking better, but he could see the charm that made Malfoy think the opposite.

…oOo…

DADA. Harry didn't knew why, but over the week the three lessons were each with another house.

Monday with the Slytherins, Thursday with the Gryffindors and Friday with Ravenclaw.

He remembered his last third year the Gryffindors only had Slytherins for company.

Maybe the professors learned some reason to do so, but it must be difficult to plan ahead of and around one and the other class.

Maybe it was for the inter-house relationship. He could see Dumbledore agreeing to that.

Really?! The one class were students one way or another are learning how to fight(read: hit/curse) something or someone.

Remus turned out to be just as great of a professor as in the other world.

Like in the world he came from, Remus came in when the class was already gathered, had taken out their books, quills and parchment and were now chitter-chatting with each other.

The man entered the room, smiled vaguely and placed his briefcase, still the same old tatty one, on the teacher's desk. At least he looked healthier now.

And it seems like, that because it's the first third years DADA lesson, it went the same way.

Books away and back into the bags. It was a practical lesson.

Harry could recall it. The lesson with the boggart.

It helped some people with their fears, enraged Snape and made people laugh. _Riddikulus._

At least Harry had warned professor Lupin about the most likeliest form his boggart would take.

While clearly there is death and more so dead people, the boggart would still probably be a dementor for being able to drag these memories to the forefront of his mind.

It was good fortune probably that because of Harry's involvement Neville's boggart didn't turn out to be a soul-sucking creature, too, but stayed Snape and brought said man back into Mrs. Longbottom's clothing.

This version of Neville was by far more confident, but he was still sweet shy yet strong Neville in his core. Harry, now Jamie, he has to get used to the name change, took comfort in the familiarity.

Smith boggart became Floare from whatever it was about to take shape of at the beginning and Jamie in no way could suppress the twitch of his lips. At least the poor fellow hadn't seen it. Careful there.

The one thing in this lesson Jamie hadn't see coming was for Draco Malfoy's boggart to be him, carried looking dead in strong arms that seems to belong to a familiar, but far to uncertain figure.

Harry naturally knew who it was.

It had happened. He had been _there._ But the question is ' _Why?'_ would _this_ Malfoy _know._

The boy looked by far more confused than he did.

Before anyone could take a good look at the boggart maybe recognizing him despite how tattered and older he looked Harry walked in front of the boggart.

The boggart become a dementor and _Jamie_ despite twitching fingers on his wand, let memories assault him until professor Lupin uses the Patronus to vanish the thing back into the closet.

He was still cold when said man turned back to him with a questioning look and silently offered him a chocolate frog.

Equally silent after saying his thanks he took the offered piece of sweet, carefully unwrapped it to not let the fake-aphibian jump away. Sadly said piece of sweet was not listening to his thoughts in that regard of it's immediate demise, or maybe it was because it did, and rather clumsily Jamie watch it hop into the air.

A pale hand caught it not a moment later and held it out to him by the left hind-leg.

Giving a strained but grateful, really quite sincere smile Harry - Jamie took the chocolate frog from Malfoy's hand and let it disappear with one bite in his mouth cavern, where it slowly melted.

By then the time was up and professor Lupin rounded up the lesson. Remus then dismissed the class.

And the students gradually trickled out of the room. Not without throwing him one or two glances at least.

Leaving him beside the adult in the room his one - no, three fellow students back in the class.

It was strange to see that the ones worried over him, Harry the Hufflepuff wouldn't be his fellow housemates, but three Slytherins, from whom most people usually expected it the least.

Zabini and Lestrange also left when he assured them with the agreement of professor Lupin that he was fine. Draco on the other stayed thoughtful.

It worried Jamie for he didn't know to what conclusions the Malfoy heir would come to.

Unsure what to do Jamie fidgeted around.

"I-I...", he stuttered out and immediately regretted making a noise when intense pensive gray eyes focused on him.

He should have stayed silent.

…oOo…


End file.
